Enthralling/ Emotional roller coaster read! Worth the credit!

I preordered this book and I’m happy I did. This book has me hoooketh &shooketh. I just love Tiffany D Jackson as an author!! I have read most of her books.This book has so many hidden gems in it! This definitely will deserve a second read. I’m halfway done and I’m thinking about calling out of work to finish. LoL there are many good topics of discussion that we still talk about today like Colorism within the black community, Segregation, passing for white, bullying and so much more. It’s a youth adult read but all the topics are still very much Relevant to today’s times. I’m loving the premise of this book.
It’s giving stranger things mixed with Carrie mixed with The exorcism mixed with lovecraft country all in one book!! Whew give it a read I need ppl to discuss the book with plus there is always a couple of antagonist in the book that just make you want to get v*olent with them! I finished the book and loved it!!!! I love how the performance in the audiobook it had me captivated. The narrators performance was superb being able to change the voices and give a high level of emotional reaction to whatever was happening in that scene! Just wow! Going to listen a second time!!

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Not Original

I loved the book. I just felt that it was not original enough. I do like the spin on the story but would have liked a more original book.

1 person found this helpful

Blown away by this Carrie retelling

This was the perfect book for the season and for fans of Stephen King's Carrie with a twist.

Maddy is a biracial teenager that has been "passing" as a white girl. But this has not been her choice. She's always been a girl that has been sheltered from life around her by her father that is a white man. But he does so much more than shelter her. When she gets stuck in the rain, her true roots show, causing an uproar in her not so accepting small town and high school. She is teased mercilessly for her hair and for lying about who she is. But it's always been more than that. The way she was alway seen as "Mad Mad Maddy", the constant bullying at school, the being sheltered and abused at home. Maddy has not had an easy life. I felt for her right from the beginning. But it was all about the students and how the school and community decided to treat not only this girl, but people from all marginalized communities including Blacks and members of the LGBTQ community. This was a assbackwards town that had me livid all throughout. The fact that the story was all based around high school students and their proms which were held separately by race had me in a complete uproar. Segregation now? no. just no.

I enjoyed the way Tiffany D Jackson took the horror story of Carrie and gave it a total racist spin was very relevant to our world now. It was a difficult read because I know a lot of what took place in the story is still happening today in the modern free world, but to see the ugliness of it all come to the story was hard. We not only get a very secluded and racist town, but we also get a couple characters that wanted to help Maddy, although they are few and far between.

If you're looking for a modern spin on a horror retelling with a complete cast of characters, of some which you will feel for, some which you want to know more about and some you may dislike, this will be the book for you. I listened to the audio and the cast was magnificent with their performances. Not only that, but the addition of the podcast of "Maddy Did It" was great. It was like hearing a story within a story of a teenager that overcame the way she was treated by a community and her father and ended up being taken over by a power greater than herself to show the community that they needed to change. And I would be doing a major deservice if I didn't mention Kenny in this story. As a young Black athlete, he was treated differently than other Black students, but I'm glad we got to see him evolve throughout the story.

Overall, this was a read that like I said before, was a difficult listen as someone that is not POC, but an ally. But I really enjoyed the way Ms Jackson retold the Carrie story with her own spin and made it relevant to now. I wish I got more answers in the end, but that's the magnificence of the story. Kind of left me hanging, but still awed me. Check your triggers and read this book. Or listen. The audio is well narrated and brings the story to life.

1 person found this helpful

Narration was top notch!

The various readers brought the book to life. I wouldn't call it a horror story in the sense of being scary and creepy but a revenge story in which your rage turns every page. The perspectives of each character gives accurate insight to the many perspectives around race relations. Jackson's motif of the bystander ensures that any ready will be a change maker after this story.

Bravo

Great intertwining of fact and fiction all while addressing some heavy topics. Nice job Jackson!

Excellent

I absolutely enjoyed every part of this story. I would definitely recommend it to others.

Thought-Provoking

The Weight of Blood, was a definite page turner for me. I enjoyed it. The symbolism and themes throughout the novel helped with an engaging discussion for my Bookclub! We are all hoping for a part 2!

She did it AGAIN!!!

I’ve loved every single one of Tiffany D Jackson’s books! My favorite part is that in every one there is a moment where the rug is pulled out and the story flips! The flip here is stunning and as always it sticks the landing and adds even more layers of delicious and crunchy story!

I’ve never read anything like this before!

This book was the first of its kind that I’ve read… yet it was wonderful. I found myself trying to savor every chapter. I didn’t want it to end.

Hmmm….

Interesting replay on the movie Carrie and I knew how the story would play out of course.